Before
by MissAlisterCroft
Summary: A small moment in an undefined period of time before the outbreak. Small fluff.


Before

I'm foraying into new Territory here.. I've had an interest in this game since E3 2012. Now that Ads are showing up on my TV screen for it and it comes out soon.. I'm hoping interest will have sky rocketed. Since I don't want to do any game-story related stuff because I'd prefer to have a firm grasp on that before I do anything in that regards.. I find Joel way more interesting than Ellie at the moment.. he seems pretty vague on what happened before the outbreak so.. I figured a little fun moment in what seems like a pretty dark time was needed. I've also chosen to leave the girl in my story nameless.. as I said earlier.. I'm not sure of the story yet and I don't know whether or not I want this woman to be Tess. She could turn out to be some completely horrible person and then I'd feel awful. So until I'm sure.. this will be a nameless second character. I got the idea from the videos when their trying to get into the Apartment Complex and you throw a bottle to distract the people rummaging around in the room. Like I've been saying.. I get inspiration in the oddest places.. and the music? You've probably all seen the Ad where Ellie gives Joel the tape and a sad country song plays while scenes from the game are shown? I have nothing against that song or Country music in general but it went nicely with the scene I wanted so I did it.

'Are you being serious?'

'Completely.'

She eyed him, a grim frown settling on her soft features.

He smiled back at her.

'This music sucks, Joel.' she stated blandly.

He barked out a laugh at that. 'This is the good stuff, real music. With feeling in it y'know?'

She shook her head and continued her climb into the back of the Truck. 'You are insane buddy..'

The Liquor bottles she'd gathered clanked in her hands as she settled down next to him in the Truck Bed and adjusted herself comfortably. 'I think it absolutely sucks..' she drawled lifting the bottle to her lips and taking a long swig from the bottle. 'I'm gonna' need to get really drunk to start appreciating this stuff.'

He gave her a sidelong look 'Don't really have any respect for music do you?' His smile giving light to the fact that he was amused by her antics.

She shot him a look, also followed by an amused smile. 'I like music, ..' She gestured to the radio in the front Cab of the vehicle. 'But this isn't music.'

He took one of the bottles and swayed it upwards to take a drink.

'Then shut up and ignore it.'

'How can I? It's everywhere!' She made a wide motion with her hands that tipped the bottle sideways when she accidentally knocked into his shoulder causing the contents to spill over his shirt.

She tried to muffled the laugh that left her and squeezed her eyes shut tight. Hoping desperately that not seeing it would allow her to stop laughing.

No such luck now.

'What're you doin'?' he bit out gruffly. This only made her laugh more.

Opening her eyes she looked at his shirt, almost laughing again.

'M'sorry!' She tried to sound sincere, she honestly did try. But it was just too damn funny.

'No you aren't! You aren't even one bit sorry..' he tried to wipe the liquid away, only succeeding in making a bigger mess. 'Dammit.. just what I need..'

'Oh for , ..' She cut short 'Here let me do it.' she didn't wait for his answer as she grabbed the rag she kept in the flatbed for mostly transportation related trouble. But this qualified as fairly important.

It was his favorite shirt.

She fist-ed the cloth in her hands and went to work wiping it off the best she could. The alcohol was undoubtedly putting limitations on her movements making them short and jerky.

'Well mud from back roads makes everything look better.'

She ducked her head briefly before looking up again 'Will you shut up, I'm trying to help.'

'You pretty much ruined all chances of that happening when you started rubbing it with car dirt.'

She huffed and sat back, landing roughly against the metal. 'Okay!' She threw her arms up in the air sending the rag hurtling towards where-ever as she released it. 'I give up! Take the damn shirt off if it bothers you so much, what do I care?' She shifted down the side further shaking her head as she took another knock off the bottle she'd set down.

She let out a startled yelp when something warm and soft landed on her face without warning a few moments later.

'What the – ..' She wondered for a second before it hit her what the object was.

'Now you assault me with your dirty shirt? I'm not doing your laundry, Joel' She pried it off her face playfully and went to toss it back at him. She stopped when her eyes came on him.

Naked from the waist up he was without a doubt a distraction. A very handsome one.

She was too caught up admiring his physique that she failed to notice he'd been speaking.

She looked up startled 'M'sorry, what?'

He shook his head again. 'I said, ..' his expression softened ever so slightly 'C'mere.'

Her head quirked slightly. Her expression confused.

He sighed 'Have to do every damn thing for you from now on, won't I?' he grumbled leaning forward and reaching down around her waist.

'Joel! What are you – ..' she was brought about roughly to sit facing him perched on his lap.

'Will you quit talking already?' He gave her no chance to respond as he grabbed the front of her shirt and pulled her face down to his.

Her tense posture relaxed and her hands found their own way up his well defined shoulder to rest on either side of his face as she pulled away from the kiss.

'Does this mean I'm forgiven?' she asked lightly, her lips barely brushing against his.

'No.' He leaned back to give her a look.

She laughed 'Oh well, worth trying..'

She kissed him this time. Force and pressure as she pushed her tongue into his mouth. He responded by tightening his hold on her waist, which was exactly the one she was looking for.

She may have been drunk but she still had enough wits about her to make this memorable.

I'm leaving it as In-Progress at the moment. Depending on how I feel, and how the game turns out in a couple of weeks.. I may turn it into a One-Shot. I sympathize with many people on Fan Fiction in that I don't like OC s much of the time.. it's why I opt to do Reader Fics, same feel but none of the baggage :P If I want to do an actual story.. this will become a O-S and I will begin a new story. I won't continue it from this, as this one could severely limit possibilities.. if any one likes the idea of me creating an Original Survivor I have many idea's in my head for a leading heroine.. I'll keep them to myself until told otherwise though :) I think the epidemic takes place about 14 years before we come into the story? Joel looks about.. maybe 40-ish to me.. its hard to tell because they all look to emaciated and malnourished. He could be older.. so I'd like to think he's around the age of 25 here. Young but.. a bit older for story purposes. Sorry for those who thought it might turn out smutty. I'm right there with you but I'm still nervous about writing that. I thought this was a nice try. I thought fooling around in the back of the Truck was a interesting scene.


End file.
